Lewis Hamilton, the current driver for Mercedes, surprisingly announced earlier this year that he would be departing from the team after a 12-year tenure. The news of his departure has sparked rumors that he may join rival team Ferrari. In addition, there have been reports of tension between Red Bull Champion Max Verstappen and their Team Principal Christian Horner, regarding allegations of inappropriate behavior. This has further fueled speculation that Hamilton could potentially join the team based in Brackley.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has openly expressed his admiration for Verstappen and his desire to have him drive for Mercedes once Hamilton leaves in 2025. However, Wolff acknowledges that Mercedes currently does not have a car that matches Verstappen’s skills, making it ultimately the Dutchman’s decision. Verstappen has strong relationships with Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko and Chief Technical Officer Newey. Gerhard Berger, a former Formula 1 race winner, has predicted that if Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull, he will bring Marko and Newey with him to his new team.
During an interview with oe24, Wolff reiterated his eagerness to have Verstappen join the Mercedes team. He acknowledged Verstappen’s status as the strongest driver and expressed the team’s need to ensure they have a competitive car to offer him. Wolff believes that if Mercedes can provide a strong car, they could become a viable option for Verstappen.
When questioned about the potential of Verstappen luring Newey away from Red Bull and joining another team on the grid, Wolff responded: “Anything is always possible in this unpredictable carousel, I wouldn’t dismiss any possibilities.
“But we have a fantastic technical team that I am very comfortable with and they are positioned exactly where they should be, even if the lap times don’t currently reflect that.”
Regarding Marko, he stated: “It all comes down to Max and his future prospects. I don’t have enough knowledge about their dynamic to determine how important Marko truly is for Max.”
Returning to the topic of the vacant seat at Mercedes for next year, Wolff emphasized that he harbored no ill feelings towards Hamilton for his sudden and unexpected decision.
He further expressed: “In every career, there are moments when you want to explore something new or should explore something new. That’s why I don’t hold any negative feelings towards Lewis.
“It was just the timing that caught me off guard, considering the season hadn’t even begun yet. However, it may turn out to be a good fit: Unlike us, Ferrari and McLaren have secured their contracts so early that they have more available seats in the upcoming years,” commented the Austrian.
If Verstappen is no longer an option, Mercedes may consider a young rookie to partner George Russell in the team. Wolff was asked about the likelihood of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a Mercedes Junior and Formula 2 driver, securing a full-time contract to compete in F1.
“The younger generation is generally very talented. And Kimi stands out to me as one of the most exceptional youngsters.”
Regardless, Wolff has ample time to make a decision regarding Mercedes’ 2025 driver lineup. Currently, the focus remains on the racing; the next race is scheduled for March 24th for the Australian Grand Prix, starting at 04:00 GMT (15:00 local time).